To Stay by Her Side
by the Black Rose
Summary: Kyoru ML challenge: What will happen between Kyo and Tohru on Kyo's last night of freedom? 'But Kyo, I love you.'...'You don't mean that! Nobody that's ever said it means it. Not you, not my mom. So just don't say it'


AN: This story is a short answer to the 1 year anniversary challenge: to write about what Kyo would do on the night before his high school graduation, presumably his last night of freedom before he is locked away for the rest of his life - just like all the previous members of the Sohma family born with the curse of the cat.  (I believe we are informed of his fate in manga ch 64.)

FYI:  For GW fans, look for Across Enemy Lines ch 7 to appear soon. 

For FB fans: I feel so bad I haven't posted anything since April! I'm still working on ch 2 of Spring Heat.  I hope to have a rough draft of it fairly soon.  :) 

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**To Stay by her Side**

by the Black Rose

Dedicated to the Kyoru ML.  Happy 1 year anniversary!!!  Love, Rose

_"Please, I need to see you."_

Kyo could practically hear Tohru's soft voice pleading with him when he read her note.  

He pressed his ear to the door, and heard rustling inside.  He glanced down at the letter in his hand; his eyes traced over the flowery scrawl:  

"Please, I need to see you.  -Tohru". 

The message had caught him off-guard, to say the least.  Sure, she'd been acting strange, lately, but kept telling everyone who inquired that she was just tired from all the hours at her part time job. 

Which was another thing – why the hell was she working so many frickin hours there, anyway? A thousand scenarios ran through his mind, but Kyo felt sure that if she was really in some sort of trouble, she'd tell him.  

Wouldn't she?

_Tohru probably just wants to get everyone graduation presents. Maybe that's why she wanted to see me.  To hand over some…gift she bought for too much money_.   He sighed and rapped lightly at her door.

The rustling stopped. Light footsteps sounded on the other side before the panel was cracked open, and one blue eye peeked out.  The eye widened, and so did the opening between panel and frame.  Kyo ducked into her room and Tohru closed the door quietly behind him. 

The dark-haired girl wrung her hands.  Her mouth opened and closed, but didn't utter a sound.  Her eyes darted away every time he tried to meet her gaze.   

_Dammit, if she has something to say, she should just say it already!_

Tohru turned and led him further into her room.  Everything seemed as usual, other than the note and reigning silence, but something… 

_Something's wrong. _

He could smell it in the air, smell the perspiration on her skin; he felt his shoulders tense as his eyes swept the room. At first he didn't realize what was different.  Her space was spotless and tidy, just like she kept the rest of the house.  In fact, it seemed almost as if no one was living in it at all.

"K-kyo?"

She moved towards the window, no longer blocking his view of the bed.  His blood ran cold when he saw it – a suitcase, half-packed; her things were all arranged in neat rows and piles.  Kyo's hands clenched into fists and he whirled around.  "What the hell--"

Tohru let out a sob and launched herself at his chest.  At first, her soft form was a welcome weight, but the curse…. That familiar tingling sensation spread from his sternum to his fingertips. And a dark mist pulled at his consciousness. Kyo brought his arms up to wrap around her shoulders. He was able to hold her for just a split second before the vapor consumed him.

"I'm sorry!" Hot tears soaked into the fur on his back.  

The cat growled.  Just what the hell was she crying over, anyway?

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Her embrace was so tight, it was becoming hard to breathe.  Kyo finally quit struggling and let himself go limp.  "Just…tell me what's wrong."

She sunk to her knees and continued to cradle him close.  Her long hair swept over his face and the warm, safe feeling of being in her arms made him want to close his eyes.  If she hadn't been crying…

"Tohru, how many times--" He tried to push away so he could see her face.  "Just… How the hell can I fix anything, if you don't tell me what's wrong?"

She let go of him, finally, and he scampered back a few steps.  Tohru put her hands up to her face. Her shoulders shook as she cried.  Kyo leapt up on the mattress, and peered down.  He had to fight to keep the anger out of his tone.  "Why--!  Why are you packing?"

Tohru looked up.  Blue eyes focused on him, tears still leaking from their corners. "I want to run away with you!"

Kyo's heart felt like it stopped.  He couldn't move.  He couldn't speak.  All he could do was stare at the girl across from him.

Tohru's voice softened and the lines fell from her face.  She moved closer.  "I want to run away with you."

He shook his head and finally managed to close his jaw.  "What the hell? I'm not running away, so just unpack your stuff and go to bed." He hopped down from the mattress, and grabbed for his clothes.

A human hand, however, stopped him from dragging them out of the room.

"I won't let them lock you away," she said in a quiet tone.  His heart lurched, and it felt like all the fur on his body stood on end.

_She knows. How could she know?_

"I don't know what you're talking about. Go to sleep. You have an important day tomorrow." His front paws felt unsteady as he tried again to drag his clothes toward the door.

"I don't want Akito to lock you away!" Her voice wavered and broke.  "I…I love you." Her tone lowered to something just louder than a whisper.  "I'm…in love with you, Kyo."

She reached for him again; he dodged and slipped nearer to the door.  But it was shut.  Tight.  "What you even worrying about that for? You graduate tomorrow, remember?" 

"Kyo…."

He stiffened.  "I don't need your pity."

"It's not… I--"

"Don't say it." He pressed his paws to his ears and clamped his eyes shut. "Don't say that."

He could still hear the choked sob escape her lips. He couldn't look.  He didn't want to see the expression on her face.  "But, I do, Kyo.  I love you."

He whirled around. "You don't mean that! Nobody that's ever said it means it. Not you, not my mom-- So just don't say it!"

"But I do, Kyo.  I love you so much.  And…and I'd rather run away with you, tonight, leave all my friends, and the rest of the Sohma family, and even break the promise to my mom… To be with you."

His fur began to burn along the flesh of his arms. _Oh hell, of all the times_…  He snagged his clothes an instant before-- POOF!  A chill greeted his nude body, and Kyo hastened to pull on his pants before Tohru got a glimpse of…something that would embarrass her.  

He got semi-dressed and sat back down on the floor, facing the door. His back was turned to the orphaned girl with long brown hair and soft blue eyes that were once again crying - for him. 

"How long have you known?" His right hand balled into a fist.  "Who told you?"

"Akito told me.  Last summer. At the lake.  He said… He said that after you graduate, you'd be locked away."

_Damn you, Akito. I didn't want her to know. Bastard_.

"I kept thinking you'd talk to me.  That you'd tell me it was okay. I..I even went to Kazuma and asked him about breaking the curse.  But, Kyo, you never--"

He sprang to his feet.  "I didn't want you to know!  You're supposed to graduate and live a happy life. I know you."  Kyo looked away again.  "You worry too much."

"But that's why…that's why I want us to run away.  Together."

She moved back to the bed and started arranging things into the suitcase.  Kyo followed the movement of her hands, watching the piles grow smaller and smaller as she packed the items away.  

The rage was swelling.  He could feel it rolling under his skin and in his chest until it finally erupted.  Kyo's fist pounded the wall and Tohru's head snapped around.

"K-Kyo?"

"I'm not going to run away!  I'm going to stay and fight.  If I run away, Tohru, the curse continues, and we'll always be looking over our shoulders.  I'll always have to live in fear of people finding out." He felt the anger leave his body, and he bowed his head.  "I won't be able to take care of you…the way I should."

"Kyo…."

"The deal was, if I didn't beat that rat before I graduate, I'd be locked away.  I still have one more day."

She moved across the room and sat down at his feet.  Blue eyes peered up from the floor.

"What will you do?"

"I've been training every day. Getting stronger." His hands clenched into fists.  "I'll beat him. Tomorrow. I'll win."

"I know you can do it, Kyo.  I believe in you."

He crouched down until his eyes were level with hers. "Listen.  Just…in case something happens.  I want you to stay with Hana or, hell, even that damn yankee.  If you need money—"

"I have some money saved up." Tohru's smile still held its usual warmth. She hadn't changed; _they_ hadn't changed.  Maybe it wasn't pity after all.  But could she really…

"I've been working extra hours at my part time job so that we could run away…"

He frowned.  "Stupid. I was wondering why the hell you were working so much.  Next time, just ask if you need money.  The inheritance my parents left me is in my name, now."

The expression fell from Tohru's face.  "I-I couldn't do that. And you wouldn't talk to me about it, remember?"

Kyo scowled and stood up again, looking over his shoulder as he started for the door.  _I can't stay. No matter how much I want to._

"Whatever.  Just, keep away from the rest of the family until you hear from me. You got that?"

"But—" 

He spun around to face her.  "No buts! They're all controlled by Akito. And don't think for a moment you can trust Shigure. Not him, not Hatori, not even that damn rat." He lowered his eyes to the floor, waiting for her to take up for that stupid Yuki.  But she didn't say a word. 

_If only I could stay… I just want to be by her side – tonight, forever, or however long I can_.

Kyo shook his head.  _I'll beat that rat. No one has to believe in me.  I can do it all on my own!_  The cat pivoted and grabbed for the knob on the door.  

"But you're going to win, Kyo."  He froze, and then heard Tohru gain her feet.  She reached over and tentatively twined her hand with his. "I want us to be together."           

"I… I have too much to lose this time." He closed his eyes and pressed her hand. _They all count on my fear of transforming.  But I'll do anything to stay by her side_.

"Not just my freedom…" He turned away from the door and just looked down at their joined hands.  He brought her palm up to his lips.  "…but also you."

_"Stay with me, Kyo…"_

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Thanks so much for reading.

Love,

Rose


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